Combination attachment-plug



(No Model.)

J. F. GATES. GOMBINATION ATTACHMENT PLUG.

Patented Dec. 14, 1897.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB F. GATES, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINATION ATTACHMENT-PLUG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,619, dated December 14, 1897.

Application filed February 19, 1897. Serial No. 624,189. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB F. GATES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Attachment-Pin gs, of which the following is a specification, reference-being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in combination plugs or lamp-heads for electric-lamp sockets, and has for its object to provide a plug which can be readily changed to fit any socket and complete the circuit of the'electricity through the same. The invention aims to accomplish this result by means of a removable plugor pin adapted to engage in the one end of the plug proper and to be inserted therein in different manners or dispensed with, according to the style of socket that is employed by the plant. The invention further aims to accomplish the above result without changing the general appearance of the plug and also aims to keep the same extremely simple in its construction and cheap to manufacture.

The invention further consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter morespecifically described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the plug with the contact-pin in position. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are views, partly in section, showing my improved plug fitted to different-styled sockets.

Referring now to the drawings by referenceletters, a represents the screw-casing, which is carried by a porcelain base or other suitable material 12, said casing a having a filling of porcelain or non-conducting material 0.

Centrally arranged in this material 0 is a post 01, having a head d, extending into the base I), said post carrying on its outer end a cup 6, screw-threaded interiorly to receive a screwthreaded portion f of the contact-pin, which is provided with the heads g and h, said heads being of differential sizes and arranged one at each end of the screw-threaded portion. The heads 9 and h are each provided with a slot It on their outer end to permit of the operation of the contact-pin. A base-cap l is secured to the base I) and is centrally apertured to receive the current-wires m and m, connections being made in the ordinary way.

In the aperture of the base-cap [is provided an eyelet or bushing a, which is of non-conducting material in case the base-cap Zis composed of conducting material, and should the base-cap be composed of non-conducting material this bushing may be dispensed with.

It is a well-known fact that the plugs of any one manufacture of the present day will not fit the sockets of any other system of plant, and to overcome this objection I have provided the plug as herein shown, and to illustrate the manner in which the same may be used we will assume that it is desired to insert the plug in the Westinghouse socket, in which case the head 9 of the contact-pin is inserted downward in the cup 6, and by reason of the pin it protruding above the level of the plug we consequently attain the same results as are obtained through the plug constructed and designed solely to fit the Westinghouse socket.

In case it is desired to use the plug in the Edison socket this contact-pin is inserted in theplug in the position it is shown in the drawingsviz., with the smaller end h within the cup and the larger end of the same protruding above the plug-thus obtaining the same results as are obtained through a plug constructed for the Edison socket, and in case the Thomson-Houston socket is employed the contact-pin may be removed entirely from the end of the plug, as in this construction the circuit is completed through the casing a. By this arrangement it will be noted that we have many advantages over the ordinary plugs in use at the present time, as in surgical and like operations it is very often the case that the plug, which may be attached to the physicians instrument, will not fit the socket upon which he is compelled to use the same, and by my arrangement of plug the same may be almost instantly changed to accommodate any socket that is in use at the present day.

Although shown herein as a plug, the device may readily beused as a lamp-head, and there are also many other advantages which it is not thought necessary to enumerate, as they will readily suggest themselves, and it will also be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction Without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is y 1. A combination-plug for electric-lamp sockets, consisting of a plug proper, having a detachable reversible contact-pin provided with heads of differential sizes, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a combination-plug, the plug connecing, insulating material and base-cap, a post within said insulating material, connections therewith, and with the casing, said post carrying an interiorly-screw-threaded cup to receive a detachable contact-pin, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 30 in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB F. GATES.

\Vitnesses:

A. M. WILSON, GEO. B. PARKER. 

